Tim “Pitbull” Coleman was about to do what he’s not supposed to do.
At a conference to announce his upcoming elimination bout against once-beaten Victor Cayo on April 29 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Coleman (18-1-1, 5 KOs) made his intentions clear: when handed the mic, he was going to openly look past Cayo and call out current IBF Super Lightweight Champion Zab Judah, the man he would potentially face next.
The mood at the conference was light and the narrative was clearly supposed to be that both young fighters were honored by the right to face such a great champion as Judah. Explaining that while he does respect his accomplishments, he is personally not a fan of Judah’s, Coleman was going to upset the apple cart by taunting a reigning world champion while he was supposed to be talking about his fight with Cayo.
When it comes to boxing, Tim Coleman has a habit of not doing what he’s supposed to do.
In his only loss, Coleman came out of obscurity and took a huge leap up in opposition while dropping a surprisingly debatable decision to then-unbeaten red-hot prospect James De La Rosa while the Showtime cameras rolled.
In December 2009, he was brought in as comeback fodder for then top contender Mike Arnaoutis in Arnaoutis’s promoter’s home base of New York City. However, Coleman stole the show and won the USBA Light Welterweight Championship by taking a close but well-deserved decision.
And then in October 2010, Coleman was again considered the underdog in a bout against well-regarded Patrick Lopez… Three rounds and two knockdowns later, he was a KO winner.
“I know I’m supposed to come in here and lose against Cayo, but I’m not going to do what they want. I’m a fighter who steps up and then steps over the level of competition,” explains the likeable 26-year-old Baltimore native.
Regarding Cayo, Coleman says he shouldn’t have too many problems. “He’s got a very small frame for this weight class and I doubt he’ll be strong enough to keep me off of him. And his defense isn’t so good. He doesn’t move his head enough. I know he’ll come out blazing, but I’ll just box him and keep coming forward until I wear him down and score a late KO.”
It’s this powerful belief in himself that has allowed Coleman to spring the series of upsets that have led to being on the verge of a world title shot. “I have an excellent core group that keeps me grounded and gives me the confidence I need to win. My father, Tim Coleman Sr. and my best friend Raymond Zabeti are always there for me.”
Interestingly for someone so often pegged as an underdog, the hard-working Coleman had approximately 200 amateur fights, is trained by Roger Mayweather, promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and has been in camp with notables including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Cory Spinks, Alfredo Angulo, and Steve Forbes among many others.
When his turn came at the mic, Coleman looked out into the crowd and saw that Judah had already left, so instead he said a few respectful words about Cayo and left it at that.
But until the boxing world stops underestimating him, Tim Coleman will continue to look for opportunities to do the wrong thing.
